Last Night I Sang to the Monster

By: Benjamin Alire Sáenz

Narrated by: MacLeod Andrews

Length: 7 hrs and 10 mins

Publisher's summary

Zach is 18. He is bright and articulate. He's also an alcoholic and in rehab instead of high school, but he doesn't remember how he got there. He's not sure he wants to remember. Something bad must have happened. Something really, really bad. Remembering sucks and being alive—well, what's up with that?

©2009 Benjamin Alire Sáenz (P)2011 Audible, Inc.

Critic reviews

"Sáenz' poetic narrative will captivate readers from the first sentence to the last paragraph of this beautifully written novel.... It is also a celebration of life and a song of hope in celebration of family and friendship, one that will resonate loud and long with teens." ( Kirkus Reviews)

"There is never a question of either Sáenz’s own extraordinary capacity for caring and compassion or the authenticity of the experiences he records in this heartfelt account of healing and hope." ( Booklist)

"Offering insight into [an adolescent's] addiction, dysfunction and mental illness, particularly in the wake of traumatic events, Sáenz's artful rendition of the healing process will not soon be forgotten." ( Publishers Weekly)

MacLeod Andrews really stuns me out! 😍

Any additional comments?

Mr. Benjamin Alire Saenz wrote ✨ HAPPINESS✨ on my heart when he created this lovely, dark, heartbreaking, life altering, never give up on yourself work of art!

The inside look into those who suffer so many different types of depressions either biologically or from a traumatic event that took place in their life is not only heartbreaking, but scary. And how lucky are we to live in a country where asking for help shows the true strength of someone who wants to better themselves physically and mentally?

Raphael was my hero.

Adam, my Angel.

And Zack, my quiet heart.

Best moment: Meeting Raphael again. 💖

Beautifully Written

A beautifully written mediation on trauma and grief. Saenz proves himself yet again to be a master wordsmith, creating vivid characters we care about.

Remarkable

Benjamin Alire Sáenz does it again! Eye opening, touching and heart wrenching story. A must read!

A wonderful, wonderful book

A real tear jerker, but without any cloying sentimentality. We travel with Zac on his road from a traumatic past and to sobriety and a hopeful future. The story, told in the first person is excellently written; a real triumph for the author, Benjamin Alire Saenz. Thank god for writers like yourself.

*Ugly Cry*

This book really tore me apart. Zach is an incredibly sympathetic character whose story is tough to digest but nonetheless impossible to put down. Throughout most of the book, I was either on the verge of tears or in tears. Even thinking about it, a couple of months after having listened, I still get emotional.

Great performance as well.

This is my favorite book!

Benjamin Alire Sáenz is an amazing writer! I absolutely adore his wording and characters, all of which are interesting in their own ways. Zachary is on journey to find himself, and his memories... I works recommend this book to any psychology students!

beautiful book

I loved this book. it held so much meaning to me, I even cried three times throughout the whole book. It's very easy to listen to and I love the narrators voice in the book he potrays the character's wonderfully.

A book you’ll never forget

I read this book 10 years ago when it was first published. It has stuck with me all this time I could not remember the name but I could remember a quote. “Some people have a dog.... I have a therapist”, I typed everything I could remember into google and found this book to be exactly as captivating as I did when I was 13. A heart wrenching story however it is filled with recovery, happiness, truth, and hope. Listen to it, you will not regret it!

Almost perfect

When a friend recommended this book, I wasn’t sure what to expect. The beginning was a slow start, but then it picked up and things got good. As a therapist who specializes in addiction treatment and has worked in several residential programs, this book resonated with me and warmed my heart. It captured how complicated feelings, memories, trauma, and opening up can be. It demonstrated what can happen when someone “does the work.” It also provided a cautious reminder that the risk of relapse never totally disappears. This book was almost perfect. The slow start and some of the redundant language (which is part of the character’s voice but still a bit grating) are the only critiques I have.

Incredible. Amazing.

This is my favorite book. Such a heart-warming and heart-wrenching exploration on the complexities of human emotion and connection. My gosh I love this book. This is actually my second listen and it won’t be my last. The narrator is incredible. A perfect piece of literature.